Most likely, you aren’t the family breadwinner. But doing a small job or getting a weekly allowance (零花钱) would put some money in your pocket. For kids and grown-ups alike, money is easy to spend. If you aren’t careful, it can be going in no time.
Being responsible with your money is an important skill to learn — and the sooner you start the better. Whether you are tracking your spending or saving for something special, creating a budget can help you deal with your expenses and plan for the future. All you need are paper and a pencil — and some self-control.
First, take a look at our sample monthly budget. Then, use a separate sheet of paper to plan your own. In the first two columns (栏), list your sources (来源) of income and how much you expect to earn from them. In the third and fourth columns, list what you expect to spend your money on and the amount.
The left-hand total should be more than or equal to the right-hand total. If it is, you have an effective budget. Budgets are not complex, but sticking to them can be tough. When planning your budget, be realistic about your expenses. If you know that you drop $18 at a movie, don’t write $12 in that space simply because you wish you were spending less.
If you are eyeing a big purchase, such as a $150 skateboard, spend less and save more until you have the total amount. No matter how attractive it may be, avoid spending your savings. One day, you will thank yourself!
Monthly Income | Amount | Monthly Expense | Amount |
Allowance | $20.00 | Snacks | $20.00 |
Money earned selling drinks | $25.00 | Music downloads | $12.00 |
Money earned babysitting | $12.50 | Movies | $18.00 |
Money earned delivering newspapers | $30.00 | Video rental | $10.00 |
Total | $87.50 | Total | $66.00 |
1.Who is the passage written for?
A. Children. B. Parents.
C. Breadwinners. D. Bank managers.
2.The purpose of making a budget is to help people _________.
A. learn to be realistic B. increase their saving
C. manage their money well D. test their power-control
3.What should people do when planning a budget?
A. Fill in the expenses as they really are.
B. Avoid spending money on expensive things.
C. Set aside a fixed amount of money as savings.
D. List income and expenses on two pieces of paper.
4. Which of the following budgets is effective?
5.The passage mainly tells us _______.
A. the importance of making a budget
B. how to make a budget
C. how to form good habits
D. how to spend money
Food sometimes gets poisoned with harmful things. A person who eats such food can get an illness called food poisoning. Food poisoning is usually not serious, but some types are deadly. The symptoms of food poisoning usually begin within hours of eating the poisoned food. Fever is one of the most common symptoms.
Certain microorganisms（微生物）cause most types of food poisoning. Bacteria and other microorganisms can poison eggs, meat, vegetables, and many other foods. After enteringthe body, these tiny living things release poisons that make people sick.
Some chemicals can also cause food poisoning. They are often added to food while it is being grown, processed, or prepared. For example, many farmers spray chemicals on crops to kill weeds and insects. Some people may have a bad reaction to those chemicals when they eat the crops.
Some plants and animals contain natural poisons that are harmful to people. These include certain kinds of seafood, grains, nuts, seeds, beans, and mushrooms.
When people handle food properly, the risk of food poisoning is very small. Microorganisms multiply rapidly in dirty places and in warm temperatures. This means that people should never touch food with dirty hands or put food on unwashed surfaces. Food should be kept in a refrigerator to stop microorganisms from growing. Meat needs to be cooked thoroughly to kill any dangerous microorganisms. People should also wash food covered with chemicals before eating it. Finally, people should not eat wild mushrooms or other foods that grow in the wild. Some of these foods may contain natural materials that are poisonous to humans. In addition, some types of fish can be poisonous.
Most people recover from food poisoning after a few days of resting and drinking extra water. If people eat natural poisons, they must go to the hospital right away to have their stomachs emptied.
1.Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. Food when poisoned can make people sick.
B. Food poisoning means death.
C. Food poisoning comes in varieties.
D. Food poisoning can be serious.
2.We know from the passage that the symptoms of food poisoning _________.
A.are always accompanied by a fever
B.are too common to be noted
C.can be noticed within hours
D.can be ignored
3.Food poisoning can be caused by all the following EXCEPT___________.
A.some chemicals
B.low temperatures
C.some tiny living things
D.certain natural materials
4.From Paragraph 5, we can learn that__________.
A.mushrooms should not be eaten
B.vegetables are safer than meat and seafood
C.natural poisons are more dangerous than chemicals
D.different types of food should be handled differently
5.It can be inferred from the passage that_________.
A.natural materials are safe in food processing
B.chemicals are needed in food processing
C.food poisoning can be kept under control
D.food poisoning is out of control
A group of class friends, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon ____ into complaints about stress in work and life.
Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the ____ and returned with a large pot of coffee and a couple of ____ porcelain(瓷), plastic, glass, crystal(水晶), some ____ looking, some expensive, and some delicate(精美的) — telling them to themselves to the coffee.
When all the students had a cup of coffee in , the professor said, “If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, ____ behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to ____ only the best for yourselves, that is the ____ of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself ____ no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases it even hides what we drink. ____ all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you ____ went for the best cups... And then you began ____ each other’s cups. Now consider this: Life is the ____; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and ____ life, and the type of cup we have does not define(规定), nor change the quality of life we ____. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we ____ to enjoy the coffee God has ____ for us. God brews（酿造）the coffee, not the cup… Enjoy your coffee!
The happiestpeople don't have the best of everything. They just ____ the best of everything.
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the ____ to God.
1.A. stopped B. looked C. grew D. turned
2.A. living-room B. waiting-room C. bedroom D. kitchen
3.A. cups B. pans C. bowls D. bottles
4.A. plain B. clean C. ugly D. fine
5.A. devote B. help C. dedicate D. enjoy
6.A. stomach B. hand C. mind D. mouth
7.A. falling B. leaving C. hiding D.keeping
8.A. hope B. wish C. need D. want
9.A. source B. resource C. result D. reason
10.A. adapts B. puts C. adds D. applies
11.A. As B. What C. That D. Which
12.A. consciously B. cheerfully C. excitedly D. subjectively
13.A. looking B. glaring C. eyeing D. glancing
14.A. tea B. water C. wine D. coffee
15.A. include B. change C. contain D. conclude
16.A. spend B. lead C. hate D. love
17.A. fail B. want C. tend D. manage
18.A. shown B. taken C. sent D. provided
19.A. keep B. take C. make D. hold
20.A. concerns B. principles C.achievements D. Complaints
If Joe’s wife does not go to the party , ________ .
A. so does he B. neither will he
C.neither does he D. nor he will
Word came that the famous film star Chen Daoming was to _______ a new film.
A. star in B. star
C. be starred D. starring in
If you don’t pay your gas bill , the gas will soon be _______.
A. cut down B. cut up
C. cut out D. cut off
